Machine for pointing fence-pickets



(No Model.)

J. M. VANCE. MACHINE FORPOINTING FENCE PIGKET'S.

No. 443,806. Y Patented Dec. 30, 1890. v Fl 6. l. F'l 6-2.

' tion of my machine.

UN TED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

JOHN M. VANCE, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR POINTING FENCE-PICKETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,806, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed January 17, 1890. Serial No. 337,228. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LJOHN M. VANCE, a citiaen of the United States, residing at Eureka, 1n the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented a new and useful Machine for Pointing Fence-Pickets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for pointing fence-pickets; and it conslsts in certain novel features of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front eleva- Fig. 2 is a side elevatron of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the cutting-table. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the clamping mechanism detached.

The letter A designates the supportingtable, mounted upon legs B and having the three vertical standards 0 C and O at one end thereof. The table proper extends between the standards 0 C, and is provided with a progecting point or end a of the sizevand shape which it is desired the picket-head shall have. The central standard 0 and the rearlnost standard 0 are continued upwardly a suitable distance and provided at their upper ends with bearings c, as shown. The several standards, the legs, and the table are connected by other braces where necessary. Mounted in the bearings c is a horizontal shaft S, carrying the pulley P, the cam K, and the eccentric E, all arranged as shown, and the operating-belt is applied to the pulley P.

Mounted in vertical guides G on the outer sides of the standards 0 O is a metallic framework F, having apertured ears f at its upper end, and a pitman-rod R is pivoted at one end between said ears and at the other end to the crank-pin e of the eccentric E. By this construction it will be seen that when power is applied to the pulley P the frame F is vertically reciprocated in the guides G. The said frame F is approximately 8-shaped, except that its sides at their central portion do not quite toucheach other-that is to say, at this point they are just as far apart as the distance of the width of the end of the table A at that point. From these sides at this point rise two knives V, which are inclined slightly outward and considerably upward, one knife having a little greater upward incline than the other, in order that the latter will cut one side of the picket-head a little in advance of the other knife. The upper ends of the knives are clamped together in any suitable manner, and braces g extend therefrom to the upper end of the frame F, whereby they are held rigidly in the desired position; but the frame, the knives, and the braces all form an open structure adapted to permit the free passage of chips, &c., therethrough.

The table A is provided near its inner side with a stationary cleat L, against which the rear edge of the picket is to be placed for holding it in position during the operation of cutting the head. Mounted on a pivot o in any suitable part of the frame-work is an L shaped arm X, carrying at its upper end a movable cleat 0, adapted to be moved toward the stationary cleat L when the arm is depressed and to be retracted therefrom when the arm is. elevated at its free end. Sliding in suitable guides G in the frame-work is a vertical rod Z, in the upper end of which is pivoted a pulley p, which rides freely on the upper face of the cam K, so that when the main shaft is operated said cam K will raise and lower the rod Z, as will be understood, and the lower end of this rod is pivotally connected at at the free end of the arm X.

The cam K is of such shape and is placed upon the main shaft in such manner relatively to the position upon said main shaft that the eccentric E occupies that just before the knives V reach their operative position or the point where their cut commences the pulley 19 will fall down the cut-away side or rear vertical end of the cam K,thereby dropping the free end of the lever X and throwing the movable cleat O a. little closer to the stationary cleat L, whereby the body of the picket is at that instant tightly clamped in position. The main shaft continuing to revolve, the frame F, and with it the knives V is forced downwardly, the latter cutting the head of the picket and forming it into the desired shape. Just as the out has been made and the knives begin to ascend the beveled face of the cam K strikes the pulley p and releases the removable clutch 0 from the picket which has just been headed, when it may be at once removed. The operator will ICO thus have ample time during the ascent of the knives to replace the former picket by another picket which is to be operated upon. The table A is provided with any suitable means, as M, for instance, by which the length of all the pickets cut may be made exactly the same-that is, any suitable stop or stud is adjnstably secured to the top of the table and adapted to be set at the desired distance from the knives, as will be clearly understood.

For the purpose of rendering the machine capable of cutting pickets of all sizes and v with a number of differentlyshaped heads, I prefer to make the knives V and their supporting-arms g removable from the frame F by connecting them therewith by bolts J or in an yothersuitable mann er, whereby the kn i ves may be replaced by others which will cut a different size and shaped head on the picket, and to further carry out this idea I prefer to make the projecting points (L of said table removable in order that it may be replaced by another point which will correspond in size and shape with the new knives referred to. The stationary cleat L and the pivot of the arm X, carrying the movable cleat, can also be made adjustable in order that a greater or less width of picket-body can be clamped between them. As the details of construction and the means by which the point a is made removable and the cleat L and pivot- 0 made adjustable form no part of the present invention and are only such as would occur readily to any one skilled in the art, and as I do not contemplate en'lploying these means in the construction of many of my machines I have not considered it necessary to illustrate them.

My device is simple and is composed of few parts, and the framework is such that it can be easily constructed by an ordinary mechanic. Especial attention is directed, however, to the location of the knives, one slightly in advance of the other, and also to the location of the cam, so that the picket-body will be clamped just before the knives commence theircut and released just as soon as that cut is finished, thereby giving the operator all the time that is possible in which to insert a new picket.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- l. The table A, having the stationary cleat L and the laterally-movable cleat 0, having a bent body extending beneath the table and pivoted thereto,in combination with the vertically-reelprocating knives V opposite one end of said table, and means for moving the body of said movable cleat vertically to force its head 0 horizontally toward said stationary cleat just before the knives reach their operative position, as and for the purpose set forth.

1?. The table A, the stationary cleat L thereon, and the movable cleat O, pivoted thereto, in etmlbination with the vertically-reciproeating knives Y opposite one end of said table, the cam K on the main shaft of the machine, the connecting-rod Z, engaging said cam, and the arm X, connected to said rod and to said movable cleat, said knives being connected to and operated by said main shaft, and said cam being so located thereon and its operation so timed as to move the cleat O toward the stationary cleat L just as the knives reach their operative position, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto at'fixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. VANCE.

\Vitnesses:

E. W. WILsON, 'W. T. VANCE. 

